The fortification of the Schlossberg goes back to at least the 10th century. In the mid-16th century, a long fortress was constructed by architects from the north of Italy. There are records of a cable-hauled lift being in use between 1528 and 1595 to move construction materials for the fortifications. The castle was never conquered, but it was largely demolished by
Napoleonic forces under the
Treaty of Schönbrunn of 1809. The
clock tower (the
Uhrturm) and
bell tower (the
Glockenturm) were spared after the people of Graz paid a ransom for their preservation. The remains of the castle were turned into a public park by
Ludwig von Welden in 1839. The park contains the
Uhrturm, the
Glockenturm, a
cistern (the
Türkenbrunnen) and two
bastions from the old castle. The
Uhrturm is a recognisable icon for the city, and is unusual in that the clock's hands have opposite roles to the common notion, with the larger one marking hours while the smaller is for minutes. The
Glockenturm contains
Liesl, the heaviest bell in Graz. Near the
Uhrturm is a café with views over the old town. Additionally, on the western side of the Schlossberg, there are two small cafés, one with table service and another with self-service. Next to the terminus of the funicular railway there is a hilltop restaurant with views of western Graz. In what was once the cellar of one of the ruined bastions is the
Kasemattenbühne, an open-air stage for concerts and performances. Below the Schlossberg hill is an extensive system of tunnels, which were created during the
Second World War to protect the civilian population of Graz from
aerial bombing. Some of these tunnels, including a passage from Schlossbergplatz to Karmeliterplatz, are still accessible, but many are closed to the public. == Location and accessibility ==